All of the hidden book references on 'You'

There are a lot of references to books and literary figures in "You."
Netflix

The Lifetime show "You" premiered in 2018, and was recently picked up by Netflix.

There are a number of pop culture references throughout the series, especially when it comes to books.

Stephen King and Owen King's book, "Sleeping Beauties," is featured at Joe's bookstore, and asks the question of what would happen if women disappeared from the world.

Ever since the Lifetime show "You" was picked up by Netflix, people can't get enough of it. It has suspense, plot twists, and large number of pop culture references that often pertain to the plotline or Joe's character specifically.

So before season two airs, take a look at some of the literary and pop culture references scattered throughout "You" and how they add to the series.

When Beck first comes into Joe's bookstore, she's looking at a Paula Fox novel, to which Joe recommends she read "Desperate Characters." Beck says she's worried it won't live up to the hype but ends up buying it anyway.

"Desperate Characters" tells the story of a couple, Sophie and Otto, living in Brooklyn: After Sophie is bitten trying to feed a stray, a series of small disasters begin striking the couple, revealing the rifts in a marriage and society crumbling to pieces.

The book is later on her coffee table during a scene where she's with Benji and Benji asks about the book.

Peach Salinger is a distant cousin of J.D. Salinger.

A rude customer can be seen buying "Franny and Zooey" in episode one.

Beck called the customer a mean name.
Netflix

A rude customer can be seen buying "Franny and Zooey" from the bookstore in the first episode."He's just pissed he has to buy Salinger to feel respectable," Joe's internal monologue says over the scene.

His rudeness might just allude to Joe's later impression of Peach, the author's fictional descendant in the show.

4/

Joe lends Paco "Don Quixote."

He lets Paco borrow the old copy of "Don Quixote."
Netflix

"The most valuable things in life are usually the most helpless. So they need people like us to protect them," Joe tells Paco in episode one. It could be alluding to his later feelings that he is protecting Beck out of love through his actions.

Right after, he gives Paco an old copy of "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes. "It's about a guy who believes in chivalry so he decides to be an old school knight," Joe explains to Paco. Joe says this book is one of his favorites.

5/

Joe lends Paco "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas.

Paco's reading a book in episode one.
Netflix

Joe sees Paco reading on the stairs of their building and comments on how fast he's reading "The Three Musketeers." Paco replies, "It reads quick. It's good."

"The Three Musketeers" follows d'Artagnan after he leaves home to join the Musketeers of the Guard, where he becomes friends with the three most intimidating musketeers of the age.

6/

Beck gives Joe "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown in Italian.

Beck gives this to Joe in episode one.
Netflix

After he saves her from the train tracks, Beck comes back to the store and gives him "Il Codice Da Vinci" and she wrote a poem inside. This book is a mystery thriller, the same genre as "You" as a series.

7/

Joe and Ethan set up for a debut of Stephen King and Owen King's book, "Sleeping Beauties," at their bookstore.

The book takes up a prominent display in Mooney's.
Netflix

The morning "Sleeping Beauties" is released at Joe's bookstore, Ethan says, "Let's give thanks to our Lord Stephen King who bestowed books so that our bookstores in third dimensional locations may live."

"Sleeping Beauties" asks the question of what would happen if women disappeared from the world. Its prominent display could be alluding to a variety of women in "You" who disappear in one way or another: Beck, Peach, or even Candace.

Joe gives Paco "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley to read next.

In episode two, Paco's explanation of "Frankenstein" could be alluding to Joe.
Netflix

When Paco isn't enjoying a novel about werewolves the girls in his class keep talking about, Joe recommends "Frankenstein," saying, "The monster is really cool and scary, but also not really the monster." The audience realizes later that this is probably how Joe feels about himself.

"It's cool how you get the monster's POV, you understand why he does stuff," Paco later tells Joe as he reads "Frankenstein." "It's weird because he's bad, but not all bad."

Joe then adds, "Well, I think it's open to your interpretation."

This can be alluding to the format of the "You" series in and of itself and the audience's potential perception of Joe.

9/

Joe steals "Ozma of Oz" by L. Frank Baum from Peach's house.

Joe steals the book from Peach.
Netflix

During Peach's party in episode two, Joe finds a collection of old and first edition books, and sneaks L. Frank Baum's "Ozma of Oz."

"Ozma of Oz" is the third book in the Oz series, and follows Dorothy Gale of Kansas as she makes the trip over the rainbow for the second time. It's also revealed that Joe used to read that book when Mr. Mooney locked him in the basement of the bookstore as a kid.

10/

Joe turns to numerous books and authors to figure out how to get rid of a dead body.

Joe says he knows he can't just "Google how to get rid of a dead body" without raising suspicion.
Netflix

Joe lists Stephen King and Caleb Carr among the authors he turned to to figure out how to get rid of Benji's body. He takes a look at "The Alienist," which is a thriller about a ritualistic killer, before he turns to a cookbook that explains how to butcher a chicken.

11/

Joe follows Beck to a Charles Dickens festival.

The festival is all about the author Charles Dickens.
Netflix

Beck attends a Dickens festival with her family, where everyone dresses up in Victorian-era clothing and participates in old-fashioned activities.

Paco had previously been trying to read books about juvenile persecution.
Netflix

After Paco tells Joe about his issues with Ron and how he wants revenge, Joe recommends "The Count of Monte Cristo." Paco gets mad at the book because, he says, "he waits 24 years to get justice," but Joe replies, "It's all about the long game."

This becomes foreshadowing for when Ron is killed later on.

13/

Joe throws Beck a literary-themed birthday party and dresses up as author Ernest Hemingway.